01. First Chapter
The RP begins... here. He slipped off his glasses with a sigh, and everything became blurry blobs of color once again. The charm had apparently worn off, and the redhead had to scrape the ice off (which was difficult unless he held them right in front of his nose). The young girl beside him sighed heavily and snatched them from his hands, and he protested feably. "Ana, I am perfectly capable--" "It's faster this way, Edmund," she replied, cutting him off. She flecked off the thin sheet of ice and handed the spectacles back to her brother. "There-- I'll even let you do the spell yourself, if it makes you happy." "It does," he replied, muttering a short incant under his breath. The frames grew warm even in his gloved hands, and he slipped them back on his face; everything slipped into focus once more, and he blinked twice before his eyes were fully adjusted. That was better-- not that he really wanted to see what lay before him, but it was a necessary part of his job description as crown prince. One had to attend to things like wars. Really, it wasn't a war per se so much as a skirmish. The two islands had been warring for hundreds of years, but no one could remember the reason why. The only reason that the battles hadn't ''stopped was that neither the king of Royaume (his father) nor the king of Lavenna wanted to give in. After all this time, to be the first to surrender would be shameful. Not that the scene before him was not. The battles could hardly be called that. It was more a test, a challenge of skill, and the soldiers (well, most of them) actually ''enjoyed ''it. Secretly, so did he-- which reminded him: it was time to jump back into the fray. The sun was almost setting, now, and soon it would sink below the horizon, signalling the end of the fighting for today. Hefting his ranseur, he started down the slope from the outcropping of rock he and his sister and a few armed guards were occupying at the moment. Ana, her blue eyes keen and sparkling like the ice in the sun, started after him. "Decided to get a bit of real exercise after all, eh dear brother?" she asked him with a grin. The girl tightened her scarf around her neck and drew her rapier. "I've won twice as many battles as you by the end of the day, I'll guarantee it." "Well," he told her calmly, "I am sure that is true-- seeing as you have already won ten and I have yet to begin." "You can only blame yourself!" she said cheerfully, and then without another word she dashed into the fray. Edmund laughed and followed her example, his sights already set on his next opponent. ---- Feet planted firmly in the snow, Mathias shaded his eyes with one hand, keeping his weapon ready in the other. The sun was nearly setting--marking the end of another long day of skirmishes--but until the cease-fire was called, he still had to be on the lookout for anyone and everyone who could come barrelling out of nowhere. It was exhilarating, really, all things considered; he enjoyed the fighting, the adrenaline, the bumps and bruises that came from trading blunted blows with soldiers from Royaume. However, it was also physically exhausting, and he was more than ready to call it a day. He was not alone in thinking so; from behind him came the muffled ''flump ''of someone falling into deep snow, and he suppressed a chuckle. "You alright back there, Father?" "Just leave me to die," came the mournful response. The young priest was half-buried in snow, face-up and spread-eagled; the patch of ice he had slipped on was not too far behind him. Although the combination of his white robes and the pure snow made him look almost angelic, Mathias knew better, and he made his way over to where the brunet lay and offered him a hand. "Come on, we can't have you freezing to death. The day's skirmish is almost over--you can get back to camp and change into something warmer," he said, and added as an afterthought, "and maybe find something hot to drink. Kay's always got ''something ''warm." The way Luca's face brightened at the offer was answer enough. "That sounds heavenly," he murmured, softly enough that Mathias almost missed it; having ''not ''missed it, however, the soldier cracked a grin and spun in place. "I'll carry you, if you like!" "Oh--I couldn't possibly--" "C'mon, Father, you're tired and the camp's not that far--" "''No," Luca protested, more firmly this time. "I'll walk--but thank you. You are very kind." Mathias laughed, shrugged, pointed towards camp with one gloved hand. "We'd best get walking, then. Just think of the hot chocolate!" He knew Luca well enough, from their few days together, that the priest preferred hot chocolate or coffee; himself, he was ready for something with a little more kick to it, but drinking alcohol probably went against some important priestly vow so he wasn't too terribly concerned for Luca's well-being in that respect. Their footsteps crunched quietly in the snow as they set off for the camp--the tiny purple standard of Lavenna just barely visible against the white of the rest of the world around it. Truthfully, they had come quite a ways during the day while searching for injured soldiers for Luca to take care of, but if they kept up a good pace they could make it back before dark--before it got too dangerous to be out alone. Enemies from Royaume were not a threat at night, but the cold was; as soon as the sun was fully set, the temperatures dropped dramatically and an unprepared soldier could easily freeze to death. ---- Having lost Edmund temporarily (thank goodness-- the man was as much a hindrance as a help, especially when she wanted to prove herself and he kept getting in the way to fight her battles for her), Ana saw the pair of Lavennic soldiers a long way off and hurried across the ice after them. There wasn't a lot of time left, but perhaps she could get one last skirmish in before the ceasefire was sounded. Besides, the two of them-- well, one of them, the little one wasn't impressive at all-- the one looked like he might be a real challenge; and a little more fun. "Hey, you there!" she called, brandishing her weapon. It served two purposes, actually-- as a challenge, obviously, but also for balance as she slipped across the snow-covered ice. Her boots made it much easier to cross the unstable terrain, but they did not solve all ''of her problems; they increased her traction, helped her gain her footing and not slide as much, but the rest-- the rest was up to her. And she was pretty damned good at it, if she could say so herself. Especially for a princess whom no one expected anything of at all. "You!" she called again, waving now. "Fancy a little bout with me?" ---- The challenge was irresistible; Mathias' glaive went from being a walking stick to a weapon in the time it took Luca to blink in surprise. "Behind me, Father," he cautioned the priest, turning his back to the white-robed man to shield him; his next comment was addressed to the newcomer. "You sure you're up for it? Cease-fire is in a few minutes, and I don't like losing--I'll fight hard." Luca fell into place obediently, wary of their challenger despite his--no, ''her--less than threatening form. He had learned, perhaps faster than he would have liked, that while Lavenna's mages concentrated almost entirely on healing magic, it was not so for Royaume; even the smallest of foes could manage a powerful blow. ---- The princess skidded to stop in front of them both, already slipping fluidly into her offensive stance. "Of course I'm up for it," she told him, slightly irritated. "I fight hard, too. Are you saying you don't want to fight me because I'm a girl?" "A reasonable sentiment, Ana," said a familiar voice, and she groaned as Edmund joined at her side. "He'd probably hurt you if he went full force." "Edmund!" she growled, but her brother pushed his glasses up his nose and went into his own stance, effectively cutting her off. "Ed, that's not fai--" "Now, if you really want a challenge," said the prince, a mischievous glint in his eyes-- clearly he couldn't see the murderous look his sister was giving him from behind, "you could take me instead." ---- "I never said I didn't want to fight you," Mathias began, an attempt at an explanation to the girl who nearly had steam coming out of her ears; who knew he would have to explain himself on the battlefield? Absurd--but pointless, as the fellow in front of her seemed pretty determined to fight, too. Even if he did look like less of a challenge. It had to be the glasses. He dropped into his own fighting stance, glaive extended in front to gauge his distance from his foes; would it be better for him to make the first move and throw them off guard, or let them open for a more defensive battle on his part? With Luca behind him, he couldn't afford to let one or the other slip past; it was better to hold his ground, let them come at him on their own and fight them off from there, even if he did ''want to come out swinging. ---- "Well then what did you mean?" she grumbled, still irate. Truth be told, she was angrier with her brother than the enemy soldier (which was ironic, in a way). Edmund held up a hand. "Not now," he told her, turning his attention back to his opponent. He analyzed him for a moment-- the heavy armor, the glaive, his stance, the way he was protecting the young priest... And then he charged, his lance gripped firmly in both hands. ---- His opponent wielded a pronged lance; Mathias made a mental note to avoid getting his glaive caught between them if he could avoid it. ''That ''was a sure way to lose a weapon. He shifted his stance slightly, swinging his glaive around to knock the man's attack to the side and then spinning it quickly to deal a blow with the staff end to his unprotected back. The battle was routine, almost reflex; the hard part was both fighting and keeping an eye on the girl in case she decided to have a go at Luca. ---- Ana, in fact, had no such notion. He may be weaker, obviously, but that did not mean she wanted to challenge him. She was looking for something to test her skill against, not an easy win. The priest would be easy pickings-- and it was hardly fair to the poor man, anyway. She glared across the battlefield at him, huffy. Once again, her brother had made a jerk out of himself. Oh well-- maybe she'd get some satisfaction out of watching him lose. Edmund, meanwhile, somehow managed to twist out of range of the attack-- just barely-- and halted mid-spin, twirling his staff around to knock the glaive away and ready to counter with his own strike. He was halfway into his follow-through when the familiar horn sounded across the icy plain, and he jerked to a stop, sighing in disappointment. "Really, now?" he muttered to himself, planting his lance firming in the ice in his frustration. "We were just getting started!" ---- Mathias knew better than to suggest continuing their battle right then and there, however much he wanted to; it was against standards on either side to keep fighting after the cease-fire was sounded. That, and he could hear Luca trying not to fidget behind him; the priest was anxious, and doubtless still cold from all the falling and slipping he'd done that day. "You'd best head back to your camp... we've got a few minutes before sundown, and then it's ''really ''going to get cold. We can always pick up again in the morning," he offered with a grin. "The two of you, even; I could try to take you both on at once. Probably get my pride handed to me, but where's the fun if you don't try?" ---- "Anytime, anywhere," Ana said eagerly, her smile confident. "Yes, it sounds like a plan," Ed agreed; for once the siblings had an accord. "Next time will be more more promising." The two of the walked away, heading back to their own camp. That was when Ana elbowed her brother-- hard-- in the gut, making him double over in pain and wheeze for breath. "That was for making a fool out of me!" she snapped. "Now let's home before it gets any more unbearable out here. I could use a hot mug of cocoa." ---- "Well, that's that--c'mon, Father, let's get going," Mathias said agreeably, setting off at a brisk pace and beckoning for Luca to follow him; the young priest floundered momentarily in the snow and then caught up, doing his best to avoid the icy patches. "That was exciting--and we'll find them again tomorrow, I hope." "Perhaps even tonight," suggested Luca, his book held tightly to his chest as he hurried along. It was not unusual for soldiers to meet on the battlefield and then again at night--though, masked and more than likely half-drunk, it was much less likely that they would recognize each other then. The Lavennic camp was set up quite neatly, rows of tents perfectly pitched--most of which was Kay's influence, as she generally withheld any and all forms of alcohol until the entire regiment passed proper inspection--and Mathias and Luca retired to the one they shared once they reached the camp itself. It was somewhat warmer there, being sheltered from the wind that had picked up, and Luca buried himself in his blankets immediately with a grateful sigh. Mathias merely laughed and went to find him a cup of hot chocolate; if the priest was not asleep in five minutes, he would certainly want something hot to thaw him out a bit. ---- The prince and princess made their way into camp, which was already beginning to buzz with excitement. No one was decked out in their masks yet, but from each ramshackle tent echoed voices and laughs, soldiers boasting of their conquests or ribbing their comrades mercilessly about their defeats. There was some fighting going on in one corner, and already the Captain and a few of his officers were moving to break it up. None of the "real" soldiers would act like that, of course-- the career soldiers knew and respected the army of Royaume and all it stood for, even if they sometimes did not agree with the decisions of its commander-in-chief. No, the brawling and arguing came mostly from the drafted soldiers, nobles and peasants forced into service and wanted nothing to do with fighting a war-- just about the fighting. And sometimes not even that. Ana glared at her brother, still angry about being shown up on the battlefield. "Is there a reason you insist on being such a pain in the butt? Honestly, it was just a fight! This is what I am ''supposed ''to be doing!" Edmund sighed. "It is what we are supposed to be doing-- but a princess does not belong on the battlefield. We've been through this, Ana." "Well, I am, whether you or father like it or not!" she argued. "So get used to it. And stop coming to my rescue-- especially when I don't need it!" "Why, Princess," said a suave voice, and Ana's face contorted into a vicious knot of anger, "you are looking particularly fiery this day." "Stuff it, Sevastian," she growled, turning to face the captain of the army. "I don't have time for your flirtatious nonsense." He was still decked out in all of his armor, his perfect white teeth grinning at her. Though his violet hair was a mess, it still managed to look perfect (in this case, perfectly disheveled); that was always the case with Sevastian. He spent far too much time worrying about how he looked. Frankly, it made it hard for her to stand even looking at him-- which was terribly, horribly ironic. "Don't mind her, Sev," Edmund told the man, shaking his head. "She is only angry because I saved her skin on the field today." "Did you now?" asked the captain. "Well, one would think she would be grateful for--" "I will be grateful," snapped the princess, "when the both of you roll over and die. Good ''day!" And with that she stalked off to get ready for the evening's activities. Edmund sighed again, watching her go. "Don't worry, Prince," said Sevastian. "It's because she loves us so much that she pretends to hate us so." Edmund snorted. Well, that was true for one of them. He hoped. ---- Weaving his way through the growing excitement of the camp, Mathias had only to follow the sound of shouting to find Kay; Lavenna was hosting the night's festivities, and it would ''be neat and orderly if the captain had to personally oversee every step of the setup. "Lapointe!" she barked, the moment he came into range; he grinned amiably and made his way to where she stood. "How's the priest doing? Not frozen to death yet, I hope?" "No, despite him falling over more times than I can count. Do we have any shoes with better traction he can borrow?" Mathias replied, fishing his flask out of his bag and unscrewing the top. The liquor inside was cold, but not frozen, and he took a gulp despite Kay's raised eyebrow. "I can't imagine it ending well, at this point." Shrugging, Kay made a vague gesture off in the direction of one of the supply tents. "There's probably some extra gear we could get him into, but honestly I don't think he'd wear it, and it's ''your job to keep him safe. What are you doing out here, anyways? Royaume's not due for another hour, we're still setting up." She held out a hand; Mathias stared at it for a moment before she sighed and plucked the flask from his grasp, taking a mouthful before handing it back. "Well, I thought I'd bring Father Luca something warm to drink, but he's probably asleep already. Need help setting up?" he offered, screwing the lid back on with a practiced flick. "No, everything's about done--though if you wanted to help roll out a few barrels, I'm sure nobody would mind," she replied with a half-smile; Mathias nodded and bounced off cheerfully towards the supply tents, snow crunching beneath his feet. Not long now. And perhaps, if he remembered their voices well enough, he could find the duo he'd run into earlier. ---- Edmund beat on the outside of Ana's tent in some semblance of a knock, and he heard his sister call him in. He pushed back the flap and found her sitting at her tiny table and mirror, pinning her hair back and adding a few feathers with glittery pins. It was part of her costume-- she wore a beautiful silver and white mask at night that sparkled in the lantern-light. He also thought she looked rather fetching in it, even if one couldn't see her face. In any case, Ana looked up at him curiously; apparently her anger from earlier was forgotten. "What is it?" she asked. "Is it time to go already?" "Almost," he told her, smiling. "Are you ready?" "Mmm." The princess nodded, tucking one more pin into her hair; for all her talk against fashion, she did enjoy dressing up when she wasn't being forced to. It must have something to do with the anonymity of the nightly activities, he thought. Ana stood up and grabbed her mask from the table, wrapping a cloak about her shoulders. "Are you?" He waved his own mask- green and bright-- and smiled. "Would you accompany me, my lady?" Analiese sighed, then took his arm. "I'm still mad at you, you know." "Yes... I know." ---- It was nearly time; the guiding lanterns burned brightly to point Royaume's way through the snow, and Mathias slipped his mask on and tied it carefully so that it wouldn't come loose. There were rules in place about taking off one's mask at night before both parties were back in their respective camps--and even losing it accidentally was enough to invoke a substantial punishment. That just meant one had to tie it right the first time--or find something to hold it on better--and he had gotten good at it, after four years of practice. Around him, his fellow soldiers were assuming their own forms of anonymity; masks came in all shapes and sizes--some covering the eyes alone, some (like his own) the eyes and nose, some completely covering the face. Every one was different, and it made one do a double take when walking through camp. The mound of blankets that was Luca's bed stirred, and the young priest sat up sleepily. "Is it that time already?" he asked, rubbing his eyes; he seemed reluctant to emerge any further than necessary. "Indeed it is, Father," Mathias replied, smiling. "Are you coming, or would you rather stay inside? It'll be warmer here, but you might enjoy talking to people." A moment of hesitation--those blankets had to be quite warm--and Luca reached for his own mask, a plain white-cloth covering that had been pulled from storage for him when Kay found out he'd come without one of his own. "I'll come. I don't suppose there will be anything more than alcohol to drink?" Mathias laughed, sprawling back on his bedroll while waiting for the priest to crawl out from beneath the covers, don his mask and straighten out his robes. "There's always something more--tea, coffee, hot chocolate, something. Don't worry too hard." ---- Instead of leading the procession, the prince and princess mingled somewhere in the middle of the throng as they crossed the ice into Lavennic territory. Edmund was quite excited to be going-- he enjoyed the making of friends and just being able to enjoy himself, even among strangers. In his mask, no one knew who he was and no one expected him to live up to some role. He was just... himself. But then, that was probably overthinking things. He just liked to have a good time. When they arrived, the festivities started immediately; and by festivities, he really just meant the drinking. Soldiers from both sides grabbed a mug or two and tipped them back, chatting up a storm. He looked at Ana, who looked back at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes. He had only a moment to wonder before she slipped out of his arm and ran off into the crowd, laughing. ---- The crowd was as busy as ever, and Mathias slipped in effortlessly, finding a cup of tea for Luca before grabbing a drink for himself. It took a few moments for the priest to get caught up in conversation--his shyer nature meant that people usually had to search him out rather than the other way around--but once he was properly situated Mathias didn't feel too bad about leaving him behind. No one would dare draw a weapon at night; it was even more firmly forbidden than removing one's mask, and much more strictly punished. As he wandered through the camp, he listened more carefully than looked; not knowing what exactly he was looking for, it would do little good to search out certain masks in the crowd. Maybe they hadn't even come--wouldn't that be a disappointing end to the evening? Well, not all that much. There was always the morning to look forward to, he reasoned cheerily. ---- Ana dodged through the crowd with practiced grace, delightedly wandering and looking for... well, she didn't entire know what she was looking for. Someone to talk to, she supposed, but so far she'd only found a few raucous choruses and drinking buddies. She wasn't much of a drinker, herself, although she had a sip here and there; she was more a wine person, as far as alcohol was concerned, and right now she wanted her head clear. The princess was one of the few girls on the field, and because of her small size it was easy to pick her out of the crowd as a female. A few of the more rowdy boys had idle hands, but it was easy enough to stave off their advances-- especially when she knocked a few heads together. But most times it didn't come to that. There was one instance, however, when she did flee-- it was Sevastian, prowling through the crowd, boasting at the top of his lungs and being, well, himself. Not wishing to attract his attention, she spun on her heel and started in the other direction. The catch was, she ran right into another soldier-- one she didn't recognize, although from which side she wasn't entire sure. "Oh, excuse me," she said quickly. "So sorry." ---- "No, excuse me," Mathias replied just as quickly, holding up his hands in apology. He'd been so preoccupied with listening that it seemed he'd forgotten to watch his step; thankfully the girl he'd bumped into didn't look too put out by his distracted-ness. "I wasn't watching where I was going. You alright?" ---- "Oh, yes, I'm alright," she told him, laughing a little. The laugh sounded more nervous than she wanted it to, but Sevastian did ''make her anxious. Mostly because she couldn't get away with taking a fist to his face; at least not in public. "And no, it was entirely my fault: I'm just... trying to avoid someone, that's all. I'll be more careful. Sorry, again." As that seemed to finish the matter for her, she looked back over her shoulder; she couldn't see Sevastian, but she could hear his laugh echoing over the din of the camp. It was time to leave. ---- "Somebody bothering you?" he asked, noting her nervousness with a frown; something about her furtive glances sat uneasy with him. "I'll deck him for you, if you like. This is supposed to be fun--not something you need to run away from." ---- At that, she laughed. She liked this guy already. "I wish you could," Ana said with a chuckle. "He is my captain, and a... friend, of sorts. I just don't feel like dealing with him. Not tonight, in any case. But... I've nowhere else to go," she said, threading a small twist of hopefulness into her tone. She quite hoped he'd ask her to hang around, but if he didn't catch on, she'd certainly ask him. Anyone who wanted to punch Sevastian in his grinning, greasy face was alright in her book. ---- Mathias cracked a grin at the thought of the mess he might've gotten into. "Well, I suppose punching a captain would put me in some trouble, but I'm sure mine can hash out the details with him--especially if he's been making things difficult for you. Would you care to find a drink with me, or did you still have your heart set on disappearing into the night?" He rather hoped she would say yes, but he wouldn't be offended if she decided against it--especially if she was trying to avoid someone. Especially someone on her own side who she ''would ''have to deal with again come morning, let alone her captain. ---- Ana couldn't help but smile. "Why, thank you, sir; I'd love to," she said honestly, laughing a bit. "While disappearing into the night can be fun, at times, I'd rather have some decent company tonight. The last few nights I've been hard-pressed to find anyone but my brother and a few drunks." She sighed dramatically. "I'm afraid I'm not very good at staying out of trouble!" ---- "Well, I am ''very ''good company, usually," he said, his grin only widening; he was liking her more and more every moment. "I can't promise I'll stay completely out of trouble, but I don't bite, I'm house-trained, and I can sit and stay and everything." ---- That made her laugh outright. "Oh, well that settles it then!" she told him, taking his arm and whisking him off to the nearest drink tent. She was more than ready to get something for herself, and she figured her masked friend was probably longing for a tall one, too. "Oh, I ''do ''like you. Infinitely better than Sevastian." ---- "Well, I'm glad. Sevastian's your captain, then?" Mathias asked, collecting a drink and looking for a couple of vacant seats; the folding chairs that had been set up inside one of the tents were mostly occupied, but there were a few empty seats in the back and he pointed with his free hand while the girl got her own drink. "How does over there look, or would you rather walk around a bit more?" ---- "No, there is fine," she said, grabbing her own drink and following him to the back. It wasn't quiet, exactly, but a bit more subdued than being in the middle of things. Taking a seat, she turned to him and sipped her ale, watching him with a small smile. She wondered what he looked like under that plain mask of his. At least she knew one thing-- he had a contagious smile. He was ''still ''grinning like a fool. ---- Mathias flopped unceremoniously into the seat opposite her, taking a hearty gulp of his drink and then balancing the half-empty glass on his knee in a precarious position to have full use of his hands for gesturing. "So. I guess we can't exactly share names, but--is this your first time here? Not ''here here, but, you know--enlisted in the Wars." ---- "Yes, actually," she replied with a nod. "See, in Royaume one can't serve before one's eighteenth birthday. I've always wanted to come, but my father doesn't like it-- even if my brother is here, too. It's his third." She shrugged. "He could have come much earlier, but he really wasn't interested. I can sort of see why, now... although I am enjoying myself." She added the last statement with a grin. "I do love swordplay. And you? How long have you been coming to the floes?" ---- "Four years," he began with a grin and a sweep of his arms that nearly knocked the glass off his knee; only a quick haphazard dive saved his drink, and he laughed aloud and downed the rest of it before setting the glass aside and continuing. "Sorry. Anyways, the laws are the same in Lavenna--can't serve until you're eighteen--so I couldn't have been coming for any longer, but that's alright. I love it here--the fighting and the festivities both. S'hard to imagine that it was really once a war ''though, you know?" ---- Ana laughed at the almost-accident; she couldn't help it. The stranger was terribly animated. And apparently four years older than she was. "Yes... it's curious that. I do wonder what it was all about, in the beginning..." The princess shrugged. "And sometimes I wish it would stop. It's all rather pointless, you know? But... as long as it's going on, I'm more than happy to participate." She shifted in her seat, leaning forward and propping her elbow up on her knee so she could lay her chin on her fist. "So," she asked, "what do you fight with? Are you pretty solid on the battlefield?" ---- "I use a glaive--warhammer too, if there's something armor-y that needs smashing." Mathias grinned and stretched widely, getting a substantial ''crack from somewhere in the middle of his spine before he continued. "As for being good on the battlefield, well--I hope so. I win some, I lose some. Lately I've been protecting a friend, so I haven't had as much chance to really go all-out, but that's okay because he kind of needs protecting. Just don't tell him I said that." ---- "It'd be rather hard to, unless he found you in all this," Ana replied teasingly, gesturing to the crowd of soldiers. "But alright, I promise. He's not a fighter, then? Or not very good?" Then something she knew about Lavenna came back to her, and an idea dawned upon her. "Say, is he a healer? You all have lots of those, don't you?" ---- "Well, yes, but... no. See, it's complicated and I don't understand most of it, but the end result of a lot of debating between the Church of Lavenna and the military is that only a few healers accompany the soldiers to the battlefield," he began, though as he explained it sounded like he was muddling it out for himself, too. Luca had tried to explain it once, but hadn't done terribly well, and perhaps it wasn't something that a normal soldier needed to worry about much (thank goodness). "Since we don't actually fight much any more, the idea is that we don't need healers as badly, and so having just a few along will suffice. So--long story short--yes, my friend is a healer, and no, he's... well, he's really the only one we have this time around." ---- "Oh." She was surprised at the answer, but really, it did make sense. They weren't really fighting, and they obviously didn't need many healers around. In fact, now that she thought about it, this "friend" was probably around for accidents more than he was serious injuries. "Well, I guess that makes you pretty important, then, if you're protecting the only healer around." ---- He laughed and waved a hand, dispelling the very notion before she could get it any further into her head. "Nah. Our captain's a little... hm. I want to say strange but she's probably within earshot so I'll just go with 'different', but anyways she decided that it was my job to watch out for him, and we were both okay with that even if his brother was a little, shall we say, uneasy about it being me rather than her or someone with a little more experience or something." Mathias understood the sentiment, too; he was not exactly protective material, except that Luca was still okay and maybe that counted for something, he wasn't quite sure. ---- Really, she should have been paying attention to his story, but only one thing fully registered in her mind. "Wait wait wait," she said, shaking her head. "Your captain is a woman?" ---- "Sure," he replied as if it were an everyday occurrence; he picked his glass up again and tilted the last few drops into his mouth before continuing. "She was elected to the position after her father retired--her name's Kay, I dunno if you've heard of her. If it means anything, she might be on more familiar terms with your captain? So you could always ask him, if ''he sobers up enough to not be someone to run away from, I guess." ---- "Eh, Sevastian isn't--" Ana stopped. He was that bad, at least most of the time. "Well, he's not unbearable, if that's what you think. I've known him for a long time, and put bluntly, he is the most outrageous flirt in Royaume. And probably Lavenna, too," she added, with a snort for good measure. "And it doesn't help that I'm the-- that I'm close to him. If.... if the king didn't need him..." Ana shook her head, and for two reasons. First, Sevastian ''was ''an insufferable bastard. Secondly, she was slipping. Usually she was much more careful with her words. She glared at the mug in her hand from behind her mask; she must be more of a lightweight than she thought. ---- "Well, like I said before, I'll gladly hit him for you if you think he needs it," Mathias told her with a chuckle. He meant it, too, even if she might not take him completely seriously. "I don't care if he's important or not. And if he takes offense, Kay can sort things out without turning it into an international incident--not that we aren't already in the middle of one, sort of." ---- ''Actually, she thought, it would be far more likely that I could get away with it. Everyone knew his reputation, after all, and it was hard to imagine them jailing the princess for decking an all-too-fresh military captain. "Well, thank you," she said, giving him a reassuring smile. Then she laughed, almost spilling her mug, herself. "Maybe that's how it all got started! The heads of two kingdoms warring over a girl!" ---- That was actually an interesting theory--and since no one really remembered how it all had started (and the history books tended to disagree on every front), there was always the chance that it was more than just interesting. "It could be," he told her amusedly. "Two powerful men--brothers, perhaps, to give it a bit more of a dramatic flair--both madly in love with the same beautiful woman. Naturally, as in all the storybooks, they decide the best way to solve the problem is to go to war." That actually did ''sound like something both Royaume and Lavenna would do--and that was almost a frightening thought. ---- "Brothers-- that ''would ''be dramatic!" she said, sounding even more intrigued. This was the sort of story she loved. "Lucky woman-- or unlucky, as it were. I wonder how she felt." Then Ana chuckled. "I mean, could have felt. It's not as if it ''did ''happen..." She shook her head. "I suppose we'll never know." ---- "No," Mathias laughed, "though we can certainly imagine. Perhaps it really is true--what's there to say it isn't? We certainly don't have a reliable account, even though that seems like the sort of thing that would be carefully recorded because of its importance in history." Then, as if only just remembering, he picked up his empty glass, held it up as if inviting her. "Care for another drink, or are you still working on that one?" ---- That sent her to pondering, and not for the first time. There was something her country was hiding-- ''both ''countries were hiding-- and she wondered what it was. "Yes, it is curious, isn't it...? Oh!" she snapped out of it for a moment, blushing a bit under her mask. "Yes, please-- thank you!" ---- He held out a hand for her glass, accepting it when she handed it over. "Same as before, yeah? I'll be right back." The crowds had dispersed somewhat, so he had no trouble at all winding his way through the remaining revelers and refilling their glasses. It certainly wasn't Lavenna's finest ale, but it served its purpose, and it was really all they needed--especially if the increase in general volume around the camp meant anything. ---- "Hey, thanks," she said, giving him a smile as he handed it back to her. "So what now? Usually things are a little more lively than this, so I'll admit I'm at a loss right now." The princess leaned back in her chair and peered over her mug at him. "Suggestions?" ---- "No, nothing really comes to mind--I'm sure wandering about will find us something to do, though. There's always something going on around here," he replied, taking a gulp from his own refilled glass. Part of him wondered how Luca was doing, but the most likely scenario was that he'd already gone back to his warm blankets, so there wasn't really much point in wondering. ---- "Well, let's go for a walk, then," she said, standing with energy. She took her mug with her, it the only thing keeping her from dancing out of the tent. Despite the cold and the long day, she felt like... running. Or doing something spontaneous. "Nearly everyone is inside, I think, but that'll make it easier to get around now. Say, I know!" she exclaimed suddenly, turning to him. Every camp had a central fire where those of the outdoorish persuasion usually gathered for warmth and light. It was a magic fire-- not a real one-- so it wouldn't melt the ice... but the feeling was the same. Ana grabbed his arm again-- something her brother would never approve of-- and dragged him off in that direction. "Come on!" ---- Mathias could only laugh as she pulled him along; he didn't mind it, but he certainly hadn't ''expected ''it. "Where are we going?" he asked, making a sorry attempt to keep the rest of his ale from sloshing out the sides of the cup. ---- "The bonfire," she said simply. "I'm feeling a little cold. Besides, there's better light over there." When they arrived, there was already a big crowd (though most of them were drunk). There was, however, one little bit of free space left on the far side, closer to the shadows. Only one soldier sat there, rom Royaume by his colors, and everyone else was giving the silent stranger a wide berth. Ana, however, was unfazed, and led her companion straight over. "Hello there," said the girl, and Gabriel looked up with a sigh. A girl and a grinning fool; great. "Whatever it is, the answer is no," he said, softly but firmly. She put her hands on her hips. "Well, fine, be that way. We're staying, so you'll just have to deal with it." She sat down on one of the provided benches and pulled the other man down beside her. Gabriel scooted farther away, but didn't pay the pair any more mind. If they started getting in each other's personal spaces, though, he was out of there. ---- He let her lead; she seemed to know what she was doing, and sitting near the bonfire actually did sound good. The poor man from Royaume didn't seem terribly interested in anyone talking to him, though, let alone sitting next to him and probably bursting his bubble of personal space. Still, there wasn't anywhere else to sit, so Mathias didn't feel too bad about it; if the man didn't like it, he could always say so. Or get up and walk away; he seemed the type who wouldn't complain about something if he could leave it behind him. Half his drink had spilled on their way there--a rather disappointing realization--but there was still enough left for another good gulp; he polished off the last of it and set the glass out of the way so that he wouldn't risk knocking it over again. ---- "See? It's much nicer here." She turned toward him, putting her back to the rude stranger. Gabriel snorted and rolled his eyes. "And the walk was nice." Ana finished her own ale and stared into the fire for a moment. "It's almost too bad, isn't it?" she continued softly. "After tonight, it's all over. We're not friends anymore, or even two people that met once. I mean sure, we might meet again, but... we can't ever really know each other, can we? Like these masks, this war... it's all an illusion." "That's the way it's set up," Gabriel chimed in. She turned and glared at him-- she didn't think much of eavesdroppers-- but he continued. "None of this matters. It's all a royal waste of time." ---- "I think you're looking at it wrong," Mathias replied, turning to face the other man for a moment. "Anything that you put your heart into is never a waste of your time. We don't have to throw our lives away and try to kill each other for this war to ''mean ''something. And," he added, directing his attention back to the girl and grinning widely at her, "illusions are always based on truth. You can't make an elephant vanish without there being an elephant in the first place, and... well actually, I don't know where I was going with that, but my ''point is that just because we don't know who the other really is doesn't mean we can't still be friends." ---- Surprised, Ana gave him a steady look. "You know what? That actually makes sense," she said. Then she laughed, stuck out her hand, and grinned at him. "Well then... nice to meet you, Stranger." Gabriel sighed. All these romantics and heroes were so... delusional. "Fine... believe what you want to believe. I still say it's a waste." He leaned forward on his knees and took a sip of his beer, staring into the fire. The crackling was almost as loud as the crowd of soldiers gathered around it. ---- He took the hand she offered him and shook it briskly, returning her smile with his own. "Nice to meet you too. And who knows? Perhaps someday when this war is over, we'll meet again, and then we won't have to be masked strangers." Not that the war showed any signs of ending, but if it ever did, that would be the best part--the possibility of stumbling across people he'd once met over a glass of ale on a winter night. ---- "I don't know that you'll have the chance," Gabe said, standing suddenly and staring at the ice. Ana, finally fed up with his unwelcome nay-saying, stood and glared at him. "Listen, you, if you don't agree you can just--" "I don't mean that!" he snapped. The crackling was louder now-- crackling he realized was not the fire, but something else entirely. Something disastrous. "I mean I think the ice is breaking, so... you might want to get out of here." "What do you mean, the ice is breaking? Of all the ridiculous--!" ---- About to agree with the girl--because the wintery battleground of the Great North had never been disturbed beyond the yearly interference from Lavenna and Royaume--Mathias froze in place as the sharp report of ice cracking sounded from not too far away. "It can't be melting--it's still too cold for that," he protested, already moving, his first instinct to find Luca; he bolted upright from his seat and glanced hurriedly over the crowd in the hopes of spotting his charge from where he stood. "I just--I don't understand--how can it be breaking?" Above the general confusion and growing panic, Kay hunted out the mask and the demeanor she knew only too well to be the captain of Royaume's forces. There was really only so much a face covering could do for a man of his personality; he could hide behind it all he liked, but in the end it did little to actually disguise him. "Sevastian," she snapped, knowing there was not enough time to argue or try to resolve the situation between the two kingdoms as they had before; other incidents could be settled peaceably, but there was no time. Hopefully the man was still sober enough to understand her. "Get your soldiers to safer ground, if there is any. If your mages can stabilize the ice at all, keep it from breaking, then get them on that as soon as possible--I don't know how much of the ice is already broken, but any support we can get will buy us more time to evacuate." ---- Normally, Sevastian would have greeted her with a friendly "Kay, my sweet," or "darling flower", but even he ''knew when it was time to joke-- or not (even if she was a positively perfect target for teasing). Instead, he looked at her as if she were mad. "My dear woman," he told her, "what do you take me for? I am a captain first and a lover second." With that, he turned to his men-- the few that weren't already running-- and began barking orders. "And someone get me Cephas and his regiment! Where the bloody hell are they when you need them!?" Gabe gave him a look. "What does it matter, how?" he asked incredulously. "We have to go. ''Now." "My brother," Ana said, turning frantically. "I have to find my broth--" "If he has any sense," said the soldier, taking her arm, "he'll already be on the move. Let's go." ---- Kay, too, was already shouting over the noise. "Baines, Wallace, Argall! Get your divisions to safer ground! I don't want a single man lost, so move carefully--give assistance to anyone who needs it, Lavennic or otherwise!" Her three subordinates nodded, began directing the chaos into some semblance of order, towards their port side of the ice floes; the ships waited there, and if they were undamaged by the ice, they would be the safest place possible. Mathias spotted Luca in the disarray, turned and gave his newfound friend one last grin; the ice was cracking, both sides were already on the move and there was little time left to talk, but for some reason he felt like laughing. "I'm sorry, I have to go help my friend, or he'll end up trampled. Be safe--we'll meet again someday, I promise!" With that, he sprinted across the ice, dodging elbows and curses as he wove his way towards the young priest. ---- "G-good bye!" she called, waving after him. Gabe gave another tug on her arm. "Let's go, Princess." Ana gave a start. "How did you--" "It's really not that hard," answered the soldier. He fought the urge to roll his eyes. "We can talk later. Right now, we have to--" Gabriel stopped short as the ice beneath their feet started to rumble. He pushed her away a split second later, and while she was busy being confused, a sharp spike of ice erupted from the ground where the pair had been standing. Gabe cursed; Ana screamed. And then the ice started to break apart beneath them. Cephas, commander of the Royaume mages and second-in-command to Captain Sevastian, sprinted his way toward the center of the camp. The runner Sev had sent was no longer with him; the poor lad had had the misfortune of being swallowed by the ice. The wizard shook his head; a shame. Still, he had no time to waste on mourning the dead now. There would be many more before the night was over, and Sev needed to know what was going on. Things were getting worse and worse. He arrived on the scene and both country's captains were busy shouting orders; when Sevastian saw him coming, though, he turned toward him and began shouting. "Where are your men? We need to do something about all this--" "I'm trying, Captain," Cephas explained breathlessly. "But I can't do it alone, even as strong as I am. My men-- my men have disappeared." Sevastian gave him a blank look. "What?" "They're gone, sir," Cephas repeated. "I'll do what I can for the ice, but--" The string of cursing from his captain stopped him short. "No," he said. "No, do what you can for those we can ''find. And when I get my hands on that lazy bunch of conjurers they will be begging for mercy before I'm through with them!" ---- What little order there was began falling apart faster than the battlefield when the spikes of ice began to appear, jutting roughly through the breaking ground. Those who were lucky got out of the way and ran for their lives; those who were ''not ''so lucky were often far beyond a healer's aid before they realized what had hit them. Still, there was nothing more Kay could do, aside from wish a plague on the Church of Lavenna for refusing them anything more than a mere symbol of support; Father Benedetti was a skilled healer, one of the best she'd seen, but he was only one man and there was no way he could be expected to deal with a catastrophe on this scale all on his own. Not for the first time, she wished that there were more real mages in Lavenna's ranks; relying on Royaume alone to hold back the ice sat uneasy with her, not because she didn't trust them, but because she hated the inactivity. "''Captain!"'' came the shout from somewhere behind her; Cadell Baines, her second-in-command, sprinted across the icy ground and met her halfway. "Most of the men are on their way to the dock, but we don't know if that's at all safer than out here--" "It doesn't matter--it's our only chance. Staying here means getting crushed or impaled, and any chance at all sounds better than that." She handed him Lavenna's standard, making him the man to rally behind, and added, "Take a few good men and round up as many injured or lagging as you can; I'm going to find Sevastian and see if he needs help with evacuation. Lavenna's port is closer and we'll take as many soldiers from Royaume as possible." The opposing captain could not be far off; she could hear him swearing loudly. ---- Edmund ran through the camp, his boots slipping on the ice even as bits and pieces broke apart or buckled around him. He was getting better at dodging those icicles, or whatever they were; after the first, he'd not been hit at all, but the deep scratch across his side was burning. Still, none of that mattered; he had to find Ana and get her to safety. He knew that the soldiers were trying to rally at the Lavennic port, and as soon as he found her that would be where they headed; but for now he was running in the opposite direction. She had to be there-- she had to still be alive. ''She had to. Ana lost her footing and fell back onto the ice, away from her fellow countryman and the jagged column of ice separating them. She couldn't see him anymore, and any other soldiers were running for their own lives. The shaken princess stumbled to her feet and looked around quickly; there was still a solid path leading farther into camp. How much longer it would last, she didn't know, but she wasn't going to wait around to find out. Category:chapters